The British Stephen Williams They won the Fleche Wallonne, the most predictable classic, always conditioned with the finish at the Muro de Huy, the emblematic setting for the most tremendous sprint on ramps. A 1.3 kilometer hill with an average slope close to 10% and with areas of 19%. Walls to crawl on without rest. A climb for tough guys who are skilled in managing efforts, like Williams (27 years old), who accelerated with 150 meters to go, leaving his rivals very attentive to marking.
The Israel team rider (winner of stages in the Tour Down Under and the Tour of Switzerland) surprised others with the best climbing technique, such as RichardCarapaz o valentineMadouas, who arrived hard hit by a hellish day, with low temperatures, rain, hail and snow. The best Spanish was Roger Adriwhich entered the group of the best.
This Wednesday was a very tough edition, the most complicated in recent seasons, due to the adverse weather. More than 60 runners abandoned. The runners advanced very uncomfortably, on the verge of freezing, and very punished by a route full of obstacles. At 60 kilometers, the main group began to break up due to the pace imposed by the EF Educacin-Easy Post of Carapaz and the Groupama of Madouas and due to an annoying gusty wind that made the four ascents to the Wall of Huy difficult. The UAE of Juan Ayuso y Marc Hirschi He gave up before the second pass through the mountain of the Seven Chapels, where the public applauded the passage of gladiators protected by vests, gloves, leg warmers and raincoats.
Pidcock, Vansevenant y Pello Bilbao They also surrendered hastily. The broken race, with Kraugh Andersen, BuitragoCarapaz, Van Gils y Vanquelin and Williams showing the way to the small leading group, made up of 35 runners. The Israel runner was always very active and knew how to save his energy for the final ascent. All together with 14 kilometers to go, with the Norwegian group Uno-X in the lead, already taking off their warm clothes to face the last climb up the hill. of the historic Walloon Arrow. This was the 40th edition in which the Belgian classic ended on the Wall of Huy.
Stephen Williams, who took over from Tadej Pogacarwinner in 2023, was the strongest in the second appointment with the Ardennes triptych, the one in which Alejandro Valverde It holds the record of five victories and in which Spanish cycling wrote glorious pages. On the Belgian hill they also won Igor Astarloa, Purito Rodrguez y Dani Moreno. The next challenge in the Ardennes will be on Sunday, with the Liège-Bastoa-Liège, with the pulse between Pogacar and Van der Poel.